1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a remote controller, a remote control system, and a remote control method for remote-operating a plurality of electronic apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Hitherto, a remote controller (hereinbelow, properly referred to as a “remocon”) has widely been used as a user interface for operating an electronic apparatus. A remocon code as a control code for controlling the operation of the electronic apparatus has previously been stored in a memory built in the remocon. When the user operates the remocon, the remocon code is read out of the built-in memory and a control signal is transmitted to the electronic apparatus.
Generally, since one remocon is necessary for one electronic apparatus, it is considered that a plurality of remocons exist in a home where various electronic apparatuses are used. Therefore, the user has to selectively use the remocons in accordance with the electronic apparatus which he wants to operate, so that it is very inconvenient.
In recent years, therefore, a multi-remote controller (hereinbelow, properly referred to as a “multi-remocon”) which can operate a plurality of electronic apparatuses such as television (TV) receiver, VTR (Video Tape Recorder), audio amplifier, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) player, and the like has been manufactured as a product.
As shown in FIG. 1, a code list in which remocon codes corresponding to a number of electronic apparatuses were described has previously been stored in a memory built in the multi-remocon. When the electronic apparatus is made to correspond to the multi-remocon, the user selects the remocon code corresponding to the electronic apparatus to be used from the code list stored in the built-in memory, so that he can operate the electronic apparatus.
Specifically speaking, for example, a code number of four digits has been made to correspond to the remocon code. When the electronic apparatus is made to correspond to the multi-remocon, the user inputs a code number by operating the multi-remocon, so that the remocon code corresponding to the input code number is read out of the built-in memory and an operation command corresponding to each operation key is set.
As a communication standard between the multi-remocon and the electronic apparatus, for example, an SIRCS (Serial Infrared Remote Control System) can be used. As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, code information which is used in the SIRCS includes: a guide pulse indicative of a head of the code information; a data code in which an operation command as electronic apparatus controlling data associated with each operation key has been described; and a category code showing a category of the electronic apparatus. The number of bits of the category code differs depending on, for example, a manufacturing year of the electronic apparatus. There are a category code constructed by 5 bits as shown in FIG. 2A, a category code constructed by 8 bits as shown in FIG. 2B, and a category code constructed by 13 bits as shown in FIG. 2C.
When the user presses a predetermined operation key provided for the multi-remocon, the operation command designated by the data code to the electronic apparatus designated by the category code is transmitted to the electronic apparatus, so that he can operate the electronic apparatus.
Among the multi-remocons, there is also a learning remocon having such a learning function that if a remocon code corresponding to the desired electronic apparatus does not exist on the code list stored in the built-in memory, a light-emission code is received by infrared rays emitted from the remocon serving as a source and analyzed, and the analyzed remocon code is stored into the built-in memory.
However, according to such a multi-remocon in the related art, since it is necessary to previously store the code list corresponding to a number of electronic apparatuses and to newly store the remocon code corresponding to the electronic apparatus which does not exist on the code list, there is such a problem that the built-in memory having a large storage capacity is necessary.
According to the learning remocon, since the new remocon code is obtained on the basis of the light-emission code emitted from the remocon serving as a source, the source remocon is necessary. Further, it is difficult to cope with unknown remocon codes.
To solve the above-mentioned problem, therefore, in recent years, there has been manufactured such a multi-remocon, as a product, that it is connected from a PC to a network such as Internet or the like, the user downloads a remocon code corresponding to the electronic apparatus which the user wants to operate and installs the remocon code into the remocon, so that he can operate the desired electronic apparatus. In such a remocon, since it is sufficient to store only the remocon code corresponding to the desired electronic apparatus, the capacity of the built-in memory provided for the remocon can be reduced. Since the remocon code is obtained through the network, the source remocon is unnecessary.
The method whereby the remocon code corresponding to the desired electronic apparatus is obtained from the PC through the network such as Internet or the like and installed into the remocon has been disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2007-116484).